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Bakeries selling yearly roscas as Epiphany nears

By Lindsey Anderson / landerson@lcsun-news.com

Posted:
01/02/2013 02:01:02 PM MST

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Delfina Calderón, co-owner and operator of Lujan Bakery, shows off two sizes of rosca de reyes, which is sweet bread traditionally eaten on Jan. 6 as part of the celebration of Three Kings Day, also known as el Dia de los Reyes.

The bakery's large cakes come with two tiny Jesus figurines baked inside, the small cakes with one, but sometimes customers request additional trinkets for their roscas.

So Calderón inserts the plastic babies into the baked cake and nicks red herring slits across the treat. That way, no one knows where the extra babies are.

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Tradition goes, Christians around the world eat rosca, or king's cake in English, on the Epiphany, this Sunday's celebration of the three kings' visit to baby Jesus. Whoever finds the tiny plastic baby baked in the cake throws a party Feb. 2, the Día de la Candelaria, the day Jesus was presented to the temple. The tradition is especially popular in Mexico, Latin America and France.

Calderón and her husband Enrique Sanchez brought the tradition with them from Mexico to the bakery.

Continuing it is important, Calderón said in Spanish through her daughter, Alma Sanchez, "for us to not lose that aspect of religion, of baby Jesus."

"And to pass it on to our kids," Alma Sanchez added while standing behind glass cases of various sugared treats at Lujan's.

The bakery started making roscas this week and sells about 500 a year, owner Enrique Sanchez said through Alma Sanchez.

Their roscas are racetrack-like ovals, striped with sugars and red, yellow and green fruit jelly. The colors represent the wisemen's gifts, they said.

Enrique Sanchez rolls the cinnamony dough into a long rope and forms it into an oval, adding the baby and any fillings customers request.

The cakes are popular, Alma Sanchez said, and customers of all ages buy them starting around New Year's.

The Sanchez family celebrates the Epiphany with rosca de reyes and a celebration themselves, bringing together their dozens of family members in the area.

"It's just another excuse for us to have a party," Alma Sanchez said.

Lindsey Anderson can be reached at 575-541-5462. Follow her on Twitter @l_m_anderson.